Tire Information From A to Z

Why do we see Road Alligators?

IF RETREADS ARE RELIABLE AND DEPENDABLE, THEN WHY DO WE SEE “ROAD ALLIGATORS” (TIRE DEBRIS) ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY?

I have been promoting the economic and environmental benefits of retreading for more than 30 years, at trucking shows, on the radio and in countless articles and news releases. I do this not only because it’s my job, but because I truly believe that top quality retreads should be a part of any intelligent truck tire program.?

FACT: Every major truck tire manufacturer in the world designs their truck tires for multiple lives. This means the tires can be retreaded several times, provided they are properly maintained. We’ll get into what it means to properly maintain a tire later in this article.

FACT: The vast majority of major trucking fleets – FED EX, UPS, the U.S. Postal Service, Waste Management, Ryder, to name just a few – routinely use retreads and have been doing so for years. Maybe they know something you don’t know if you are not using retreads.

FACT: Today’s retreads produced in top quality plants (the ONLY kind you should consider!) have an adjustment rate as low, and often lower, than the best Tier One virgin tires. There is ample proof to support this statement if you are interested.

OK, BUT WHY IS THERE SO MUCH TIRE DEBRIS ON OUR HIGHWAYS?

The answer is simple: Improper tire maintenance.

Tires that are not properly maintained will definitely fail given enough time, and it DOES NOT MATTER if the tire is a retread or one that has never been in a retread factory. And when the tire does fail it will leave road “alligators” all over the highway, and if we are lucky no one will be injured or killed by the flying gator.

The main culprits of tire debris are underinflation, overinflation, mismatching of tires in dual wheel positions, faulty tire repairs, misaligned vehicles and tires being driven with less than the legal limit of tread remaining.

Does what you are reading sound familiar? That’s because you have probably heard me speak or have read my articles over the years. But, messages that are important need to be repeated time and again. To blame retreads for tire debris on our highways is the same as blaming a vehicle for an accident caused by a drunk driver. The blame is simply misplaced.?

KNOW WHAT MAKES ME CRAZY??

When I speak to a trucker at a trucking show or on a call-in radio show and I’m told, “Retreads aren’t worth a damn, because they always come apart.” When I try to have a rational conversation and ask how often the trucker checks his tires with a gauge, the conversation nearly always stops right there.?Whether you like it or not, in cold weather or hot, rain or shine, you MUST check your tires on a regular basis. If you do, preferably with a well-calibrated gauge (but remember, any gauge is better than no gauge at all), and never with a thumper, you will have next to no tire problems. But, and this is a BIG BUT! you must start with high quality tires, whether virgin or retreads. Junk tires will teach you an important lesson that you get what you pay for, and if you buy junk, you will pay (in more ways than one) for what you get!?

Tires represent one of the highest costs of operating any truck and by using retreads you can actually cut your tire costs by as much as 50% and sometimes even more. It’s time to put away put aside some of those old myths you’ve heard about retreads and go with the facts, because as a comedian once said, “Facts is facts.”??

STILL NOT CONVINCED?

How about letting us arrange for you to visit a retread plant near where you live. We know that once you see for yourself how much care goes into the retreading of a tire in a top quality plant, you will come away with a new respect for retreads, and this can translate into big savings for your fleet, whether it is a fleet of one truck or one thousand trucks.

READ THE FOLLOWING FROM AN OWNER-OPERATOR TEAM.?WE ARRANGED A PLANT TOUR FOR THEM RECENTLY. IT IS USED WITH PERMISSION.

“Good Afternoon Harvey,??We finished our tour this morning with Jerry at MFR Tire Services and left two tires to be retreaded. Jerry gave us an awesome tour, which we really appreciated. We asked our Safety Liaison from FedEx Custom Critical to attend the tour with us. He was on part of our call with you. All three of us learned a lot about retreading and enjoyed the information that Jerry shared with us. I know for myself I am much more comfortable with the idea of a retread now then I was before we had the call with you and the plant tour.??Two of the biggest surprises that Bob and I had on the tour was the work that goes into retreading and also the size of hole they can patch.??Thank you very much for putting us in touch with this company.??~Bob and Linda Caffee?

LET’S SUMMARIZE?

You really can save serious money by using top quality retreads without sacrificing safety, performance or handling, and will probably have a lower adjustment rate than you now have with your virgin tires. Unless you are in business for a hobby, money means a lot to you, so why not keep more of it on your side of the table? Retreads can help you do just that.?What are you waiting for??

For more information about the economic and environmental benefits of retreading, please call us at 831-646-5269 or send an email to info@retreadtire.org.?

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I’m Harvey Brodsky, the Managing Director of the Retread Tire Association and have been driving on retreads for more than 35 years. I believe in retreading and will be happy to share my passion with you if you call. Want to tour a retread plant near where you live? Want to know the name of a top quality retreader who can sell you a top quality cap and casing or custom retread your own tires? Need information about top quality tire repairs? Or just want to say hello?? Let’s talk.